(Updated Oct. 14, 2016)

Transcription

1 Spring 2017 Italian Visa Application Checklist OGS Group Visa Application Process Requirements of the Italian Consulate in NYC Submission Deadline of all materials to OGS: October 31-November 7, 2016 All students who are eligible to participate in the Office of Global Studies (OGS) Group Visa Application Process are required to do so. Exception: The Italian Consulate in NYC does not permit OGS to submit Visa applications for non-u.s. Citizens. Therefore, all non-u.s. Citizens who need to apply for an Italian visa will need to apply independently. Please review the Italian Visa Applications Checklist Independent Applicants and the Independent Visa Application Guide both posted on the Apply for a Visa Page. If you have other extenuating circumstances that you believe will prevent you from participating in the OGS Group Visa Application Process, please discuss this with OGS prior to October 28, For example, if you will need your Passport to travel outside the U.S. between October 31, 2016 and the beginning of January 2017, you will need to apply for your Visa independently because your Passport will be with OGS and the Italian Consulate during this time to process your visa. The following St. John s University Office of Global Studies Italian Visa Application Checklist was developed by the Office of Global Studies to help guide students participating in one of the following study abroad programs with their Italian Visa application process: Discover Italy: Rome Discover Italy: Education Discover Italy: Pharmacy and Health Sciences Discover the World: Europe (Rome-Seville-Paris RSP Rotation) The purpose of this Italian Visa Application Checklist is to provide an explanation of the Italian Visa requirements issued by the Italian Consulate in NYC, and additional assistance that will be provided by OGS. The requirements of the Italian Consulate in NYC are available here, under Students participating in study abroad programs : The Italian Consulate in NYC may issue updates to these requirements during the semester. If they do, OGS will let you know right away. Action Item OGS Group Visa Application Process 1. Visa Application Form 2. Passport Photo 3. U.S. Passport and Copy 4. Student ID Card Copy 5. SJU Rome Acceptance Letter OGS to add to Visa application 6. OGS Acceptance Letter OGS to add to Visa application 7. Proof of Financial Support (Original + Copy) 8. CISI Health Insurance Letter OGS to add to Visa application 9. Payment OGS to submit payment for students 1

2 1. One Original, Completed, Signed Visa Application Form The completed Visa Application Form must contain no mistakes, errors, cross-outs, or white-out. Make sure your answers are written within the box (*write small and neatly). You may type your answers, or write them in blue or black pen. Use the same color pen for the entire Visa Application Form. Be sure to use the European date format (DD/MM/YYYY, so March 5, 1998 would be 05/03/1998) Leave questions on the Visa Application Form blank if they don t apply to you. Review Johnny Thunderbird s Sample Visa Application (posted on the Apply for a Visa Page ) and use it as a guide to complete your visa application. Use the Visa Application Form With Pre-Filled Answers (posted on the Apply for a Visa Page ) o But, if any of the pre-filled answers do not apply to you, e.g., the intended date of entry, you will need to complete the Blank Visa Application Form copying the rest of the pre-filled answers onto this form! You must sign with place and date (using European date format) on both page 3 and page 4 of the Visa Application Form. This portion of the Visa Application Form needs to be completed by hand, in either blue or black pen. It cannot be typed. See page 4 of this Visa Application Checklist for more tips on completing your Visa Application Form! 2. One Recent Passport Photo Standard Passport photo format (1 3/8 x 1 3/4 inches in size) This does not need to be the same photo included in your Passport. The picture must be front facing, in color, on a white background, and on photo-quality paper. Taken within the last 6 months You cannot be smiling (and your lips must be closed) Please note you cannot have your hair covering your eyes, and you cannot be wearing glasses, a scarf, a hat or other head covering in these photos. (Please contact the Office of Global Studies if you wear a head covering for religious reasons.) 3. One Original & Signed U.S. Passport + One Copy of Bio Page (picture and signature page) Your Passport must (1) be valid until at least November 12, 2017, (2) have been issued in 2007 or later, and (3) include at least 2 blank pages (or more if you plan to travel!) Citizens of all countries other than the U.S. must apply independently 4. One Copy of your Current Student ID Card (Storm Card) 5. One Original + One Copy of your SJU Rome Acceptance Letter (in Italian) OGS will add this to your Visa Application 6. One Original + One Copy of your OGS Acceptance Letter (in English) OGS will add this to your Visa Application 2

3 7. One Original + One Copy of Proof of Financial Support: All Proof of Financial Support documents must be recent (within the past 30 days, e.g. September or October 2016) (1) Student Personal Bank Letter or Bank Statement on Official Letterhead o Verifying at least $50 per day that student will be participating in the study abroad program in the student s personal checking and/or savings account (the student is the only person listed on the bank account): At least $5,750 for non-ozanam/catholic Scholar students program is 115 days in duration At least $6,100 for Ozanam/Catholic/Catholic Scholar students participating in a Pre- Session program is 122 days in duration or (2) Student Joint Bank Letter or Bank Statement on Official Letterhead o If a student only has a joint bank account (with their parents or other individual), the Bank Letter/Statement must verify at least $50 per day/per person listed on the account for the number of days that student will be participating in the study abroad program. For example, if a student has a joint account with one other person, the total amount in the account needs to be: At least $11,500 for non-ozanam/catholic Scholar students program is 115 days in duration At least $12,200 for Ozanam/Catholic Scholar students participating in a Pre-Session program is 122 days in duration or (3) Office of Student Financial Services Letter o Verifying that at least $5,750/$6,100, will be dispersed to the student after tuition and fees are covered. or (4) Combination of Options (1)-(3) o A student can also provide proof of financial support through a combination of: Options (1) and (3) that totals at least $5,750/$6,100; or Options (2) and (3) that totals at least $11,500/12,200 (if the joint bank account is held by the student and only one other person). Optional (5) Student Credit Card Statement o If a student does not have sufficient proof of financial support through options (1)-(4), the student may submit a credit card statement with a credit limit to cover the difference. o The credit card statement must list the student s name (another individual can also be listed, such as parent/guardian). o Example 1: Student Bank Letter (student is the sole account holder): $2,750, plus Office of Student Financial Services Letter: $1,000, plus Student Credit Card Statement with a credit limit of: $2,000 Total = $5,750 o Example 2: Student Bank Letter (joint account between student and one more person): $5,500, plus Office of Student Financial Services Letter: $3,000, plus Student Credit Card Statement with a credit limit of: $3,000 Total = $11,500 **Please note the Student Credit Card Statement cannot be submitted on its own as Proof of Financial Support. 3

4 Bank Letter Tips! Hand the Sample Bank Letter on page 5 of this Visa Application Checklist to the bank employee and encourage them to follow it exactly. The Bank Letter must include all the information included on the Sample Bank Letter, except for your account # (which is optional). The Bank Letter must be on Bank letterhead The Bank Letter must be either signed or stamped by a bank employee Bank Letters or Statements for retirement accounts or stock portfolios are not accepted by the Italian Consulate 8. One Original + One Copy of your CISI Health Insurance Letter OGS Group Visa Application Process: OGS will add this to your Visa Application 9. Payment OGS will submit payment for students applying through the OGS Group Visa Application Process 4

5 Tips on Filling Out the Visa Application Form! #7 current nationality: refers to citizenship-if you have a U.S. Passport, put USA #11 national identity number: leave blank if you are a U.S. citizen, if you are a non-u.s. citizen include the equivalent of a U.S. Social Security Number or other National Identity Number issued by your government #13 number of travel document: refers to your Passport number #16 asks for the country your Passport is issued by, put USA if you have a U.S. Passport #17 Address: Use the address you live at while attending school. This address must be in New York, New Jersey (Counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, Warren), or Connecticut. #26 and #27: only mark yes if you ve received an European visa in the past 3 years #28: leave blank, you are not applying for a family reunion visa #31: leave blank, we have got you covered with our pre-filled answer to #32 #34 and #35: leave blank, unless you are relying on family living in Italy for financial support Note: All Semester Program students need to apply through the OGS Group Visa Application Process unless you are a non-u.s. citizen or have extenuating circumstances. If you will need your Passport to travel outside the U.S. between October 31, 2016 and early January 2017, you will need to apply for your visa independently, because your Passport will be with OGS and the Italian Consulate during this time to process your Visa. Please contact the Office of Global Studies prior to October 28, 2016 to discuss your options. Students applying independently still need to participate in a Required Document Submission Session between October 31 and November 7, 2016 and provide OGS with your Consulate appointment date during that Required Document Submission Session, as well as your visa application for review. Semester Students Required Document Submission Session Times Queens Campus** Monday, October 31 (3:30pm to 6:30pm) Wednesday, November 2 (3:30pm to 7:00pm) Thursday, November 3 (3:30pm to 7:00pm) Locations Friday, November 4 (9:00am to 1:00pm) DAC 128 Monday, November 7 (3:30pm to 6:30pm) Semester Students Required Document Submission Session Times Staten Island Campus** Locations Monday, October 31 (9:00am to 1:00pm) Campus Center B-18 Thursday, November 3 (9:00am to 1:00pm) Campus Center B-18 **This schedule may be updated, please check the Accepted Students Site Tab (12) Required Document Submission Sessions & Requirements Check for the most updated information. 5

6 Sample Bank Letter [Bank Letterhead] [Date] Consulate General of Italy Visa Office 690 Park Avenue New York, NY TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, This is to certify that the title of the following account(s) reflects [name and address of account holder] as an account holder. Account type Account number (optional) Amount * Date opened * May express exact amount or In excess of more than XXXXX US dollars The above mentioned balance(s) represents the accumulation of successive deposits. Sincerely, Signature or Stamp 6

7 Applying for an Italian Permit of Stay OGS Group Visa Application Process Spring 2017 St. John s University Office of Global Studies Rome Campus Once you ve received your Italian visa, you will need to register your visa, and your presence in Italy, by applying for a Permesso di Soggiorno, or Permit of Stay. Below you will find a list of steps that you need to complete prior to and upon your arrival in Rome. Contact the Office of Global Studies on the Queens campus if you have any questions prior to your departure. Upon your arrival, the staff on the Rome campus will guide you through the next steps. Before You Leave Home: 1. Register with Eduitalia via the following link: Complete the online application (9 step process). You will need to refer to your Passport and Italian visa to complete this application. 2. After registration, you will receive a confirmation from Eduitalia. Please note that the fees and documents listed will be taken care of by the Office of Global Studies. You do not have to pay the Permesso di Soggiorno fee. It is included in your Global Studies program fee and all required documents will be sent to the Rome campus on your behalf. 3. The Office of Global Studies will send all of the stamped paperwork returned by the Italian Consulate to the Rome Campus. This will include the following: a. Copy of your Passport b. Copy of your student visa c. Copy of your acceptance letter in Italian and English d. Copy of your proof of financial support e. Copy of your CISI health insurance verification letter Once you re in Italy: 1. During the on-site orientation, the OGS Rome staff will collect your Passport to make a photocopy of the entry stamp and explain the visa registration process in detail. 2. Eduitalia will come to campus to distribute information and paperwork required for the final step in the visa registration process. 3. Eduitalia will schedule an appointment for you at the Italian Post Office to complete your Permit to Stay. 4. After the Italian Post Office appointment the SJU staff will distribute the following: a. The assicurata postale, which indicates your date of entry into the E.U. b. Confirmation of your fingerprint appointment. We ll explain this to you on site, but you ll need to complete this requirement in-person. After receiving your assicurata postale and completing your fingerprint appointment your Eduitalia process is complete! 7